Time After Time
by Cassandra Hunter
Summary: After the defeat of Mesogog, the truth about Kira Ford comes out.


**Title:** Time After Time

**Author:** Cassandra Hunter

**Category:** Power Rangers (Mighty Morphin/Dino Thunder)

**Disclaimer:** All I own is the very strange idea that became this story.

**Plot:** After the defeat of Mesogog, the truth about Kira Ford comes out.

**Notes:** This is just a warning. I have read so many Kira is Kim's cousin stories, that I have decided to take it one step farther. Well, a couple of steps farther. This will satisfy both the Kira/Tommy lovers (slightly) and the Kim/Tommy lovers. And some may find this story kinda messed up, but the idea came to be and wouldn't leave my head. I wasn't even going to post this until a friend of mine suggested that I should, although it isn't quite up to my standards. However, it was fun to write.

-

Kimberly Ann Hart, currently in pink ranger outfit, dodged an shot that the wolf like creature had took at her. She frowned and moved quickly as the monster took another shot. It seemed almost as if it was hoarding her to the left. The feel of concrete on her back told her why. It had been hoarding her to the left. Because there was a dead end. It had her trapped. She glanced behind the advancing creature only to find her friends engaging in battle with three other monsters. As it got closer she let out a yell. "Tommy!"

Moments later, In a bright flash of light, Kim was gone.

-

Tommy turned from the monster when he heard the shout of panic from his girlfriend. The creature had her trapped in a corner. "Kim!" He called, racing toward the creature as it lifted its cannon type arm toward her and took a shot. "No!"

Kim was enveloped in a glaring white light and then she was gone.

"Kim!" Came a call from his left and he turned to find Jason run up to his right, the others following closely behind.

Laughter came from behind them. They turned to find the four creatures that they were fighting laughing maliciously.

The wolf creature that had attacked Kimberly gave a sneer. "It is over. You will never find her. It is to late." And with that they to were gone.

-

Pain.

Sharp. Blinding pain.

Kim's chest felt as though it had been ripped open, her throat was raw and she was more than sure that she was supposed to be dead. Maybe she was. There was a hitch in her lungs and the next thing she knew, she was violently coughing.

She wasn't sure if she was able to open her eyes. Even if she wanted to. It took all her energy just to keep breathing. And that wasn't good. Kim took a deep breath and pulled her eyes open only to find the bright sun glaring down on her. She clenched her eyes once again and let out a moan.

"At least I know that your alive." Was a voice that came from her right.

Kim's eyes shot open and scrambled up on to her feet. She spun around, looking for the source of the voice.

"Over here." The voice came from behind her.

She spun around to find to find a African-American female sitting on a rock with a manilla folder in her hand.

The female was bouncing her feet with the look of impatience on her face. "It's about time. I was beginning to believe that I was given the wrong time or place." She looked at the watch on her wrist. "Three forty six. That's about right." She slid off of the rock and approached Kim.

Kim immediately took a defensive position. The woman that was coming towards her stopped and held up her hands.

"Woah, now." The woman held out the folder to Kim. "I don't mean any harm. I come in peace." She grinned a moment. "I was just sent to give this to you."

Kim looked at the folder suspiciously. "Who are?"

The woman shrugged. "I'm a friend."

"Whose friend?" Kim eyed the folder and backed up slightly.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Take a guess." She shoved the folder closer to Kim.

A few more moments passed. Reaching forward to grab the folder, Kim frowned. "Where am I?"

She grinned as the folder was taken from her hand. "California. And not so much where as when."

"When?" Kim paused, her hand paused holding the folder slightly open.

"Yes, when. It is August 14, 2004."

Kim froze and color seemed to drain out of her face. The folder crashed to the ground as she fell to her knees.

The woman sat down beside Kim, who was looking kinda dazed. "That's all I can really tell you, but I can tell you that I was sent here by someone who knows what is going on and wants to help. Everything else you need to know is in the folder."

Taking a deep breath, Kim tried to process. She was in the future.

The future.

Kim grabbed the folder from where it had fallen and flipped it open. The first page was a note. A note in eerily familiar handwriting.

_Kim,_

_I know that this is strange and that you have no idea what is going on, but I can tell you that you will be able to get back to your time. Just not soon._

_The time portal that you were shot through was almost completely closed and it needs time to gather enough energy to open once again. _

_I am afraid that will take time. Inside this folder is everything you need to survive in this time period. But you will have to be someone else for the time being._

_When it is time for you to return home, you will understand what is happening._

_Until then, have fun._

The note cut off there.

Kim flipped though the folder. It contained some basic information. Name, height, weight, age, family background, a birth certificate, and school transcripts. At the end of it all, there was a plain white envelope. "Not that this isn't mondo interesting, but what does this have to do with me?"

The woman gave a shrug. "This is you."

"Um... no. It's not." Kim replied, confused.

"Get technical about it, why don't ya? This is who you will be in this time period." The said woman said. There was a pause where Kim looked at the folder closer. "Look, the point is, is that another time portal doesn't open for a little while. So you're stuck here."

Kim's face took on a look of resignation. "I get it." She looked at the woman. "So what do I do?"

The woman grinned. "Cool. Come on." She stood up and then pulled Kim to her feet. "First of all, we need to get you a place to stay. Unfortunately, an apartment would take to much paperwork and questions when you disappeared. Then a house is certainly out of the question. I guess that leaves a hotel, though that might tend to get a tad expensive. I don't know, though." She seemed to think on it for another moment. "I have friend who has a house in town. You might be able to stay at his place. He's supposed to be out of town for the next couple of months anyways."

Kim cut her off. "Why are you doing this? You don't even know me?"

"Honestly, a friend of mine asked me to help you and I actually know you better than you think." The woman seized Kim's arm and started to drag her off, and eventually out of the forest and into a parking lot. "Here we go." She stopped them in front of a light yellow car. "It's not much, but it's yours." The woman tossed her the keys. "Come on, I give you directions. Adam's place isn't far off. Though, it may be closer to Surfside than Reefside. Turn left here."

Only moments later, Kim found herself pulling into the driveway of a Victorian style house. It was nice.

"Just as I thought. Not home. Great." The woman muttered and pulled out a small mechanical thing which Kim realized after a moment was a cell phone. After pushing a couple buttons, she apparently had gotten an answer. "Adam, I had hoped you'd still be home." Pause. "It's the Great and Powerful Oz, Adam. Who do you think it is?" Pause. "Yeah." Pause. "Yeah." Pause. "Look, Adam. I need a favor." The woman looked at Kim for a moment before moving off, out of earshot.

Kim watched as the woman and the guy on the other line communicated some more. The only indicate that everything was ok was the fact that the woman kept nodding with a giddy smile on her face. "Thanks Adam, you are a godsend." Pause. "I will. Bye." She heard the woman reply.

"It's all good." The woman told her as they started for the door. "Adam said you could stay." The woman shook her head and muttered under her breath, "Like he would have said no." At the curious look Kim was once again giving her, she pulled a spare key out from behind a light. "Come on." She opened the door and immediately looked for anything that probably shouldn't be seen by Kim just yet. After pulling off a couple of pictures from the wall, she turned back to Kim. "Right, so... Adam said you could use the spare bedroom. It is up the stairs, first room to the right." She turned and headed back out the door. Then paused and blushed. "Um, do you think you can give me a ride into town? I have no way to get back there."

Kim blinked then slowly nodded. "Sure. Just tell me where it is."

"Oh, yeah, you don't know where anything is." The woman lead Kim back to the car. "So I need to show you to the school and a grocery store would be useful and..."

"A mall." Kim cut in, grinning. She slid in to the car and started it up.

The woman started to laugh. "Yeah, don't want to forget that. Turn right."

Kim frowned for a moment, following her directions. "One question."

"Shoot."

"How do I pay for all this?" Kim asked her.

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" At Kim's shake of her head, the woman continued. "Where is that folder?" Kim pointed beside her and the woman grabbed the folder and pulled out the envelope. "This should have everything. Pull in right here." The pulled into the parking lot of a fair sized mall. "Here." She handed over the envelope.

Kim opened the envelope to find a sizeable wad of cash and a credit card. "Wow..."

"That should be able to last you for quite a while." The woman commented with a raised eyebrow. She looked over the parking lot. "That's my car over there." She pointed to a bright yellow SUV. "I'll go handle all the school stuff while you concentrate on getting you some new clothes." She got out of the car and headed toward her own. Pausing, she turned back. "Oh, yeah, one more thing. If I was you I would try and stay away from your pink valley girl style here." At Kim's frown, the woman just held out her hands. "Just a thought."

Kim shook her head. "Hey." She called out to the woman as she opened her car. The woman turned to her. "What's you name?"

The woman gave her a grin. "Aisha." She got in her car and have Kim a wave before pulling out of the parking lot.

"Aisha." Kim whispered to herself. "Aisha." She nodded before entered the mall, the shopping trip she was about to make making her grin wider.

Moments later, the once Kim Hart and newly formed Kira Ford exited the mall, bouncing on her heels.

-

Kim, now Kira Ford, ran her hands through her newly blond hair and frowned. It just didn't look right. Then again, she knew that she be surprised by the hair color. She had just sat down in the barbers hair and told the woman that she wanted different.

This was different.

In a good way.

Maybe.

Kira groaned and plopped down on the bed, her thoughts all jumbled together. This had happened all to sudden. She laid backwards on the bed and heard something crinkle under her head. Giving a sigh, she grabbed her schedule from underneath her. The woman, Aisha if she remembered correctly, had dropped it off earlier with the words good luck and a contact number for emergencies.

Maybe it was wrong to try to just fit in. Maybe it was wrong not to look for a way home. Maybe she shouldn't trust Aisha. Maybe she should try to find her friends future selves. Maybe...

Maybe there were to many maybes to contemplate.

Kira could already feel the beginnings of a headache start to come one. She closed her eyes and buried her head in her hands. All she felt like doing was sitting down and crying.

But she couldn't. She wouldn't let herself feel so vulnerable in a time that she knew nothing about. Kira took a deep breath and tried to get her get her bearings.

Still, time travel was her forte.

-

It was only a few months later, Kim/Kira put the finishing touches on her newest song. One thing about time travel. It was great for the creativity. She heard the door open and barely had time to duck before a airplane went sailing past her head. Kira ran a hand through her hair, as if afraid for a moment that something had gotten stuck in there.

"Settle down class."

Kira's head snapped up once again at the familiar voice. She immediately zeroed in on the figure at the front on the room.

Tommy.

She felt her face pale immensely as she took in the sight of him. Older, shorter hair, but obviously still him.

"I'm Dr. Oliver, and this is first period science. Before we start, are there any questions?" He asked.

Kira barely took notice as one girl she recognized as the highschool T.V. personality approached him and started asking questions about his age.

"For now, let's talk about you guys, and what you expect of yourselves in this class, because that's what's really important."

Still, it seemed extremely strange. Tommy? Dr. Oliver? Kira could feel a snicker rise and barely had time to muffle it before anyone heard it.

"Is someone missing?"

Oh, yeah, the same old Tommy.

-

Kim/Kira was sitting on a picnic table, both playing her guitar and singing to the small audience gathered in front of her. This guitar was one of the few things that she allowed herself to splurge on. She couldn't resist it when she saw it the widow of the music store.

_I wanna know _

_Know where you're at_

_I'm at the front_

_But you're still out at the back_

_Oh, can you tell me where_

_Tell me where you're at_

_Freak you out_

_Freak you out_

_Freak you out_

_Freak you out_

_Freak you out_

_Freak you out_

_Freak you out_

Kira grinned at the applause that came from the now larger crowd. It seemed that a few people had joined her original crowd. Some of the crowd looked behind her and immediately scattered. Frowning, she felt a hand land on her shoulder and pull her off the picnic table. She looked up to find the Principal (Randall, was it?) and a teenage boy she recognize from the schools soccer team. It was Calvin or Cameron or something like that.

"Miss Ford, I'm afraid you need written permission to perform on school grounds. Let's go." The Principal wrote something in her binder.

Kira frowned. "Are you aware that kids who pay an instrument have a 50 higher chance of getting into college?" She asked the woman.

Randall just sneered at her. "Well, you're hardly college material now, are you, Miss Ford?"

Kira's jaw dropped at the remark and the shock was what let her be lead away from the teacher. Seconds later, she was running, trying to get out of the water and protect her guitar at the same time.

"Ethan James, I should have known."

Turning, Kira saw another teen walking through the sprinkler with an umbrella perched over his head.

She heard the soccer player next to her snort. Kira bit back a giggle. An innocent mask covered her face as Randall turned to look at her with a glare.

Geez, she didn't set off the sprinklers.

-

The next few months were more than enough shock for Kim/Kira's to take. A new team. New zord. A new Tommy. Still, she couldn't help but worry what would happen if she was sent home before Mesogog was gone.

Luckily, she was never going to have to figure it out.

-

Kira took a deep breath as she stood at the end of the balance beam. This was one of the lucky times when the school gymnastics room was completely empty. She flipped and twisted and turned in an extremely complicated move. Then dismounted.

Yeah. She still had it.

She jumped as she heard sound come from the doorway. Kira jerked around and her eyes widened as she saw who was standing there.

Conner, Ethan, Trent, and Tommy.

Ethan was grinning his head off. This was one side of Kira he had never seen before. He hadn't even known that she was capable of something like that. Still, Kira was always surprising them.

Conner had a look of shock on his face. Woah. Now that was cool.

Trent could feel his jaw drop open. He still managed to recover better than Conner. That was awesome. And he let her know with a loud whoop.

Tommy's face was indistinguishable. What Kira had done struck a familiar cord in Tommy. He had seen it somewhere before. It only took a couple moments to realize where he had seen it before.

Kim.

Nah, that was impossible.

Right?

-

Kira blinked in the sunlight that streamed through his window. "Ugg." She mumbled, closing her eyes again. "Morning. Hate morning. Die morning, die."

She yawned as she dragged herself out of bed and quietly slid down the stairs. Kira had been woken up by extremely loud thump coming from the kitchen and as she got closer she heard voices. Cautiously, she approached the doorframe, hiding just out of view. It was a wonder as to who it could be. While Conner, Ethan, and Trent had forgone the act of knocking, just letting themselves in, they would not have shown up at seven on a Saturday morning. Maybe Conner would. Just to get a rise out of her. But the voices she heard were obviously not Conner or one of the guys, being more female in nature.

"Let's just wake her up."

"We are not just going to go in there and wake her up."

"Why not?"

"For one, seeing me might just give her a heart attack."

"A heart attack? No. Fainting? Maybe."

"Cute."

"I thought so."

Kira/Kim peeked around the corner, the voices becoming more and more familiar by the second. She recognized the woman who had last spoke. It was Aisha. The other person, however, she could not see from her perspective.

She slipped in, making her presence known. "Hi."

Aisha turned to see the teenager enter the room with a curious look on her face. "Good Morning! Sleep well?"

"I was before I got a wake up call from the Reefside wake-up fairy." Kira leaned against the wall. "And that is assuming you were the one who was making the noise." She eyed the coffee maker on the counter considerately. Kira knew that she wasn't supposed to have any (some nonsense about being to hyper active), but it was so tempting.

"Aren't you just bright and peppy." Aisha commented as she watched Kira pretty much inhale the caffeinated concoction.

"But of course? Am I not a happy ray of sunshine?" Kira grinned cheekily. "And you didn't answer my question."

Aisha shook her head. "You never asked me a question."

"Ye... oh, yeah, I guess I didn't." Kira blushed slightly. "So, were you the one who made the noise?"

"Actually that wasn't me." Aisha replied, looking at the figure hidden from Kira's view.

Kira frowned. "Than what was it." She paused, even more thoughtful. "What are you doing here anyways?"

The figure stepped forwards and raised her hand. "Actually, I can explain that."

Kira turned to find an familiar person standing behind her. Her face immediately pale and she grabbed the counter for support.

It was her.

Well, a older version herself. That Kim was slightly taller with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was dressed in a simple pink shirt with a black collar and sleeves and blue jeans.

Kira looked at the yellow robe she was wearing and blushed slightly. "I think I'm just going to..." She pointed down at her robe and then exited the room in a rush, for more than the changing of her robe prompting the exit.

The adult Kim looked at her friend. "I think I kinda scared her."

The two erupted into giggles.

-

Kira fidgeted as she waited for the others to show up. In her left hand she held a letter than had been given to her by her adult self. She had read and reread the letter many times. It explained in excruciating detail what had to happen when she returned to her own time.

Everything had to come full circle.

Then, after everything was over, after she returned to her own time, that left the adult Kim to live her life the way she wanted. And after a few years, so would she.

But until then, everything had to happen the way it was supposed to.

She shifted a little and ran her hands through her hair. It had been slowly turning back to it's natural color but it was still majorly blond. Maybe she should just die it back to the right color when she gets back. Kira pulled her feet underneath her and winced as her shoes scraped against the yellow paint of the car.

That was going to leave a mark.

Kira jumped slightly as two other cars pulled up. A red one and a black jeep. She gave a wave as Conner, Trent, and Ethan slid out of Conner's car and Tommy came out of his.

"Hey, Kira." Conner greeted. The action was followed by Ethan, Tommy, and Trent.

"Hey, guys." Kira returned. "You're probably wondering why I asked to see you here."

"It might have crossed my mind once or twice." Ethan replied.

"Well, it's kinda a long story, but I can tell you this." Kira paused, trying to figure out how to word it. "I'm leaving."

"What?" Conner frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I have to leave." Kira repeated.

Trent crossed his arms. Curiosity filled his face. "Well, when are you coming back?"

Kira chewed on the bottom of her lip. "That's the thing. I'm not. At least, not for a while."

"What are you talking about!" Ethan exclaimed.

"That's where everything gets complicated." Kira replied.

Conner shrugged. "That's okay. We like complicated. It comes with the territory."

"I'm from the past."

That one simple statement had a multitude of reactions. Ethan's eyes doubled in size. Trent blinked, unsure if she was just messing with them. Tommy frowned, not sure what exactly was going on. And Conner...

Conner looked as though he would never stop laughing. In fact, Conner's face was so red that it would have matched his ranger costume had he still had his ranger powers. "Oh, my gawd! Ha! That was a good one! For a moment I almost believed you!" There was a couple more moments where he started to calm down and realized that Kira hadn't even cracked a smile. "Your not joking, are you?"

Kira shook her head. "Nope."

"I think you better start explaining, Kira." Tommy, who had been silent the whole time, responded with as much dignity as he could must after the revelation.

"I'll tell you everything that I can." Kira began. "It started about a year ago. I got sucked into this time portal and ended up here."

"If you're not Kira Ford, then who is? And who are you?" Tommy questioned her.

"For all intents and purposes, I am Kira Ford. She didn't exist until I arrived." She replied. "As for who I am... I can't tell you." Protests. "I'd tell you if I could, but I can't for now." Kira sighed and laid on the finishing touch. "And I'm leaving tomorrow."

-

The next day, Kira found herself standing in the same spot she had landed nearly a year before. She frowned and wondered if the landing would be just as hard. Though with her luck, she'd end up landing on top of some unsuspecting person.

Around her stood her four friends. Each were watching her with sadness in their expressions. She shifted the duffle bag and dumped it unceremoniously onto the ground.

The couple of brown strands in Kira's hair that she had dyed a darker color had lightened until it was a nice caramel brown. She was dressed in a yellow shirt with a pink strip down the middle and a plain pair of white pants. Her over all look was setting off a couple of bells in Tommy's head. It was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't remember Kira ever wearing something like that before.

Kira hefted her yellow guitar off of the floor and handed it to Conner, who have her a look of surprise. "Kira..."

"Well, I certainly can't keep it. I am returning to the past." Kira shrugged.

"Are we ever going to see you again?" Trent asked her, the look on his face was of utmost sadness.

Kira just flashed them a knowing grin. "Of course. I bet you are going to be seeing me very soon, even if I don't see you again for a while." She leaned forward and gave Trent a quick hug. "I'll miss you." Kira turned to Ethan, who backed up slightly.

"I don't do touchy-feely stuff really well. That's why computers and I get along so well." Ethan held up his hands.

She nodded in an understanding manner. "I get that." But the moment Ethan lowered his hands and his guard she enveloped him in a hug. Ethan froze a moment before returning it. She pulled away. "I still had to do that."

Ethan blushed and returned her smile. "I get that."

When Kira looked at him, Conner was watching her wearily. The two watched each other for a moment before she launched herself into Conner's arms and he swept her up in a tight hug. "Try and not take to long to come back."

Kira gave him a cheeky grin as Conner let her go. "Don't worry about that. And you better take good care of my guitar, I'll be back for it."

"I'm going to hold you to that." Conner laughed as she tried to slug him on the arm.

Kira rolled her eyes as Conner leaned back, trying to avoid the hit. She gave him a shove when she missed. Pushing a strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail, Kira turned to Tommy, who was looking extremely uncomfortable. She grinned widely, knowing what was coming up next. Her suspicions were confirmed when he held out his hand. She took it and gave it a slight squeeze.

"From the past." Tommy smiled lightly and shook his head a little. "I feel as though I don't know Kira Ford as well as I thought I once did."

Kira just nodded and pulled him forward slightly, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before letting him go and stepping back. "Oh, I think you know me better than you think you do." She ran a hand through her hair aware that the silver communicator that she had returned to her wrist, opposite to her old morphing bracelet, was in plain sight.

Tommy's eyes widened as he zeroed in on the communicator. He recognized it immediately. There was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach and he could feel himself going pale. "Kim?..." His words were barely over a whisper and cracked slightly.

"I was wondering when you were going to figure it out." She whispered back. Kim grabbed the duffle back and tossed it over her shoulder. "Catch you on the flip side." Kim gave them a brilliant grin and with a final wave, she disappeared into the time vortex.


End file.
